**warning: some posts might be NSFW.
Many of my classmates and I are noticing how strictly the media dictates how women should look. Advertisements for diet aids are everywhere, television casts an unrealistic "norm" for young girls (as well as older audiences, who should know better!) and the effects of these images can be devastating on a susceptible mind.
In the USA, it is estimated that 10 million girls and 1 million boys are suffering from an eating disorder. Expectations from television, movies, magazines and advertisements are confusing to a young viewer, and so they can really damage their bodies in the quest to become "perfect" as society has taught us.
However, there is one social media website that working hard to turn this right around.
StopHatingYourBody is a blog hosted on the popular media site Tumblr. This blog promotes self-acceptance and destroys the unattainable idea of "perfection", by insisting every body is functional and perfect just the way it is. The blog accepts submissions and stories from brave users who wish to tell their stories of self-acceptance, or where they are in their journey. There is no tolerance for negative comments on this site, and I am particularly impressed with the warm, understanding atmosphere it provides. The idea started out small, but more and more people feel comfortable sharing their images and stories every day.
I think it's a beautiful idea, and I have so much respect for the people who are brave enough to stand up against society's standards and say, "This is me, and I am perfect just the way I am".
I can't stop thinking about P!nk's song/music video "F**kin' Perfect" when I think about this subject. The imagery of the word PERFECT carved into the girl's arm just leaves an image in your mind of tragedy. People just be hatin' on other people and this needs to stop. It makes me want to walk around town with a mirror and tell people how good they look and remind them it could always be worse. FREE HUGS! (i'll be sure to pass the link along to ms. fay. i'm sure she'll love it.)
ReplyDeleteI agree with you and Ryan. I'm always on alert for these things as not only am I majoring in this field but as an aunt of two beautiful nieces.
ReplyDeleteBack when I was in muddle school me and my group of girlfriends were completely obssessed with Britney Spears and Shakira during the "I'm a slave 4 you" and "Whenever,Wherever" era. We were so fascinated with their bodies that we all went on a hunger strike. I was so focused in getting that washboard stomach that I would only eat tangerines for days with a day off to devour anything that I wanted. Neddless to say that this was absolutely ignorant. My wake up call came when one of my hunger friends ended up in rehab just skin and bones. We were only 13. Nowadays, I do my best to assure my nieces that they're perfect the way they are. I dread that they'll see these surgically phantom barbies and think that that is what you're supposed to look like. This unhealthy attitude and unnecessary presure needs to stop ASAP.